Horizon's Gift
by Crystal Remnant
Summary: 300 years ago, Sanzo died. Now, years later, NotSanzo reappears along with familiar faces, sending Goku into a dizzying journey of discovery and wonder. However, this NotSanzo isn't bound by the teachings of the monks... [Swearing][Drugs]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I couldn't help myself! This fic just screamed out to me. Oh well. Multi-chapter Saiyuki story that's all humor with a touch of angst and a pinch of drama added for good measure. Don't worry – Sanzo's still an asshole – he's just a cool one.

Wee! I'm a useless disclaimer!

* * *

The redhead sat at the bar, his friends next to him were already hammered beyond being able to recognize him. Whistling and howling at woman over the music, they carried on like 18 year olds on their first bar bender. Gojyo huffed and head-desked the bar when on of his friends made a grab for a rather busty brunette's butt. 300 years gave a person a lot of time to mature. He smirked and leaned back so his hair brushed the same brunette's arm as she stomped past. He smirked and she smirked back, silently taking a seat next to him. 

It also gave a person a lot of time to perfect their technique.

''

300 years was a long time to wait for someone, but on a stone plateau in the mountains of china, a young man gazed out over the land. Seeing all, but seeing nothing at the same time, he paid no attention to the rain that pelted his body. Golden eyes darted back and forth, and every few hours he would turn at 90 degrees before becoming perfectly still once more. He was looking. And Goku always would.

Always looking,

Until he wouldn't have to look anymore.

However, he was given a sign.

A small speck of light over the horizon gave him hope.

''

Green eyes closed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Through a very distant link, he could feel someone tug. His chi did that to him a lot – if Goku had found something that might even remotely lead to his light, or Gojyo had found a woman to bed. However, Hakkai noticed that this tug was different. It wasn't subtle or gently, it was demanding and deserved respect. The demon sighed walked over to the window in his moderately small apartment.

"I didn't expect you. If I had, I would've cleaned."

"Oh, don't on my account;" the Bodhivista said behind him, "I just came to tell you something."

"I'm listening," Hakkai said with a small smile.

The Merciful goddess smiled, crossing hir legs while sitting on his kitchen counter, "My nephew was getting rather restless up in heaven. Caused a few deities to burst a vein or two. So, we've sent him down here so he won't cause such a problem. I must admit though, I will miss the company," se sighed.

The green-eyed man turned to face hir, hope and longing written all over his face; "How long?" he asked.

"How long what?"

"How long has he been here?"

"Oh…22 years, give or take a few."

"And you didn't tell us why?"

"Because you would've looked like stalkers if he was any younger," se stated.

"True."

"Now, I've got to go appear in a vision in South China. I'll be back in a few years to check up on you. Almost forgot!" se said, clicking her fingers together, "You'll need these," se added on, throwing him a set of keys.

"What are these?"

"2087 June Street, Finland."

"Finland?"

"Parking lot under the Lou Megaplex in Sweden."

"Sweden?"

"And 42 Amide Street, Stockholm."

"S-Stockholm?"

"I also pictured my nephew being European…" se said, head cocked in a thinking position and a small smile on hir face.

"Wait!" Hakkai begged, "How do we find him?"

"Simple," se said, jumping off the kitchen counter and taking an apple with hir, "Look. He's not that hard to miss. Oh, and you might want to pick up Goku on the way. Last I saw of him he was on Ngari Mountain. That boy is such a hassle."

"But-"

"You may also want to get to him before they do."

"They? What-"

"Good-bye Cho Hakkai."

In the blink of an eye se vanished into nothing. Hakkai stared a few moments and with a small 'thud' fell back against the wall. Revelations were a bitch to deal with, he decided as he wiped his slim frame glasses with his shirt. He would have to quit his stable job, fetch Gojyo and find Goku – all of which would be difficult. However, no matter how grim his thoughts, he still smiled.

''

"Hey, hey Kai'," Gojyo greeted his best friend with a hug.

"Good to see you again Gojyo," he said, returning the hug, "How have you been?"

The redhead whistled and pulled away from him, but still kept an arm around his neck, "There was this absolutely scrumptious brunette last night – Maggie – who was an absolute bomb in the bed. I never new it was possible to-"

"That's…enough Gojyo," Hakkai said trying not to laugh.

Gojyo sighed and began walking at a steady pace next to Hakkai (who was being pulled along). With a smile, Gojyo smirked at anything with a skirt as they walked. "It's been too long, Kai'. We should meet up more often."

"But I just saw you last week."

"As I said, too long."

"You're rather clingy when it comes to me, aren't you?" Hakkai asked, amused.

"Duh."

Both fell into a comfortable silence. Gojyo still, after many years, walked with one arm around his shoulders and a goofy grin. Some people they walked past in the local park would stop and give them a second glance, but Gojyo's reputation in the area killed any rumors that would've started. Hakkai guessed, if he had to, that Gojyo hadn't had to spend a night alone for at least the past six months. There was a week where Gojyo's was so incredibly sick he had to stay with Hakkai, but even then Gojyo was at it. His phone bill was proof enough. However, Hakkai needed to tell him about Sanzo but didn't know how to do it. So he'd decided to be straight forward about it.

"Sanzo's back."

"That nice- what!?"

Gojyo had stopped and a few people stopped and stared at Gojyo as he screamed. Hakkai cringed out how loud he was (being next to his ear), "Gojyo, keep your voice down."

"How could I not! I mean, we're just walking and then all of a sudden you say 'Hey, our friend who's been dead for 300 years is back'! Hakkai!"

"Gojyo…I'm sorry. I should've been more subtle…"

"Sorry? Sorry?! What's to be sorry about! The monkey's going to go nuts! And that bastard still owes me a lighter!" Gojyo yelled furiously.

"Gojyo?"

"Sanzo is going to pay!"

"Gojyo?"

"Sanzo also owes me at least three packs of cigarettes! Maybe a cigar!"

"Gojyo?"

"He left the monkey too! Bastard!"

"_Gojyo!" _

"What?"

"It's nice to see you glad he's alive…but…did it occur to you that his name might not be Sanzo? Or he may not even be a monk?"

"But…Sanzo's a monk…"

"Yes, but what the Merciful Goddess told-"

"_Se _told you?"

"Yes…is that a problem?"

"No problems…continue."

"As I was saying…he lives in Sweden, so he may not be called 'Sanzo' or be a monk either."

"But…that's just not right. So you saying he could be called something like Rune or something Swedish?"

"_Achoo!"_

"_Bless you."_

"_Thanks, bitch."_

"_Don't call me a bitch, you cu-"_

"Why Rune?"

"Don't know…"

"That's not the only thing…She also gave us these," Hakkai said, holding up a set of multicoloured keys, "I don't know what they're for, but she just left addresses. She didn't tell me anything other than that," he concluded, throwing the keys to Gojyo who was just staring at them.

"No way!" He screamed so loudly this time, that Hakkai jumped nearly a foot into the air. "These are for a _freaking _Porsche! And this is a house key!" He said, holding up a gold key. Hakkai stuck a finger in his ear and moved it around just to make sure he wasn't deaf. "This is too good."

"A Porsche? Interesting…"

"You still remember how to drive, right Hakkai?"

"Well, yes but-"

"C'mon then!"

"What?"

"Let's go! It's about time! If I had to wait another 300 years for another journey I would've gone absolutely nuts!"

"Gojyo."

"Yes, Hakkai?"

"We have to go get Goku."

"And?"

"Do you know where he is?"

"No. You?"

"Yes, but…"

"What?"

"Have you still got your hiking things?"

"…"

"…"

"I don't…like the sound of that."

For most of his life, Rune Sanyo had been stalked by one person or another. When he was smaller, he was stalked by criminals trying to kidnap and hold him for ransom because his parents were rich and important. As he got older, girls started stalking him. In school, countless love letters were left in his locker and desk. Everywhere he walked; girls in groups would giggle and point. And as his sister pointed out, he wondered why such traumatizing things hadn't made him gay. However, it had quite the opposite effect much to his younger sister's chagrin. He harnessed his good looks that he'd gotten from his late father, and used them to his advantage.

Women would drop like flies when he smiled at them.

And that was when he was 17.

With years of experience under his belt, Rune Sanyo could make even the most feminist of women drop to their knees begging for a taste of his lips. His sister said it was disgusting how he did it, and without his good looks, he wouldn't have the title of President. Even he admitted it – he had a foul temper and even worse attitude behind the façade of gentle looking violet eyes, and soft blonde hair. He looked like he couldn't hurt a fly, but in reality, he was the person that pinned it to a piece of PDF and pulled its' wings off with tweezers while not-laughing. He constantly got into fights (which he won due to his self-defense training as a child), and would always be a smartarse to the wrong person at the wrong time. However, when he needed to, he could smooth talk his way out of it. He'd met his best friend, Kou, that way. He was only 15 and the man could've been no older than 23, but they still understood each other like no one else could.

However, the one thing he didn't know how to deal with was crazies with gold eyes that wouldn't stop staring at him. He was supposed to be meeting Kou for a much deserved break and maybe getting some tail, when the teen showed up right in front of him – an uncomfortable 4 inches in front of him.

"Look kid, I don't have what you want, so get lost," he spat out at him.

"No."

"What?"

"I've been waiting…waiting for so long…I'm not leaving now, Sanzo."

"What the fuck? My name's not Sanzo. It's San_yo, _idiot. And how do you know that anyway?"

"No…your name's Sanzo.

"Fuck off, kid-"

"Hey Rune, what-"

Rune turned around to face his best friend only to find that the redhead had stopped in his tracks with wide eyes. He arched an eyebrow, and in the briefest moment of distraction, the teen who'd been following him around for the past week gathered him into a crushing embrace. Rune noticed that his arms were pinned to his sides, and wondered whether the kid did it on purpose.

"Holy shit!" Rune choked out, "This kid's strong! For fuck sake, help me Kou!"

He got no reply.

"Kou! For the love of – Ow! Fucking stop that!" He screamed at the boy who was squeezing even harder. "Kou!"

However, instead of the usually 'punch and go' attitude that his friend normally used, Rune was shocked to see that rather than a blow to the face, Kou merely put a calm hand on the boy's shoulder, and coolly told the boy to let go. When that didn't work and he only squeezed harder (making Rune choke), Kou asked the boy to look at him. The blonde could feel the boy turn his head and watched, fascinated, as the boy's gold eyes went wide and a small, "Kougaji?" tumble from his lips.

"Hey Goku."

"Mind telling me what the **_fuck _**is going on?!"

* * *

A/N2: So, how was that? The plot will thicken next chapter and it won't be so runny. I know nobody reads the end notes, and I could say anything I wanted to here. Ah well. Doesn't matter. Oh, also, I'm looking for a Beta-Beta. Someone who's better then me (don't worry, be as snobby as you want about it) at english, and can mark my work. 

**Next Chapter: **Who I Was, What He Is


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **In response to the people who reviewed: Gods on earth. Thank you so much. And, to Arysin – I'll put my email up on my profile just to make it easier. That also goes for people who use MSN. And to clear up the lime thing – it's not much. Just Gojyo fooling around – it's nothing graphic but it's borderline T/M. Things may seem a little disjointed at the moment, but that's supposed to be how it is – it'll make sense later on. I also got asked about Hakkai and Gojyo in a private PM. Yes, they are they comic relief to a certain point.

Well, get going then!

**

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**

**Horizon's Gift**

**Chapter 2**

**Who I Was, What He Is**

**

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**

Rune sat at the large oak table, watching in disgusted fascination as his self imposed house guest downed what was left of the food on the large table. His sister, who was just as equally horrified (yet somewhat amused), sat frozen with her fork above her plate as he took another plate from near her, downing it in an instant. Kou, who'd also invited himself for dinner, seemed indifferent about the whole thing. Turning a gaze of burning hatred on his friend, Rune swore he heard 'Goku' eat the cutlery.

Suddenly, the platinum blonde cleared her throat, "So…Goku…how do you know my brother?" she asked.

Goku stopped eating, gold eyes looking up and meeting blue for a brief moment before he blinked once and said, "Sanzo doesn't have a sister…do you Sanzo?" he asked.

"Sanzo?" She repeated, "Don't you mean Sanyo? And isn't a little weird to call someone by their last name?"

Rune head-desked the table and Kou let out a snort of what could've been laughter. Looking to the redhead to explain the situation, he sighed when he saw that said _friend _took the opportune moment to excuse himself to the washroom. Sitting upright (while taking his time), Rune looked his sister dead in the eye and said; "He thinks I'm someone else. I don't know why, I don't know how, last time I checked the last person to look exactly like me was the person in the mirror."

"There's a person in the mirror that looks like you?" Goku asked stupidly.

Rune swore under his breath and his sister laughed.

Goku smiled seeing the display, and oddly enough, put the fork down. "Hey, Sanzo, she's cool," he said, pointing to the blue-eyed girl ("pointing is rude, you dolt!" she snitched back), "What's her name?" he asked, tilting his head to the side as if observing a new animal.

"One; my name in _Rune San**yo, **_get it right, monkey. Two; she's my sister. Her name is Naida," he replied.

"…you just…"

Rune raised an eyebrow and Naida's attention was diverted back to the teen at the end of the table, who looked just about ready to cry. That in itself was strange considering the young man could've been nearly 19, maybe 20 years old. "'You just' -what?"

"You just called me monkey…"

"Apologize, Rune," Naida scolded.

"No! No…it's just…I haven't been called that in such I long time…I rather miss it," he trailed off, sinking into the back of his chair. "You don't know what you miss until it's gone, right?" he asked them both.

Rune sighed once again that night, and Naida gave a gentle, lopsided smile. Crossing her fork and knife over her plate, she stood, her chair scratching behind her. Rune followed in suit, and Goku watched them both curiously. Naida stood away from her chair (Rune did the same thing, but in silence), and smiled brightly at Goku; "I'll show you where the baths are. You look like you need one."

"I-I do?"

"Yeah, you look like you've spent the last ten years in a gutter. You've even still got bits of foliage in your hair," she pointed out, "And that gold headband looks like it could use a polish too."

Unconsciously, Goku's hand reached up and brushed the gold diadem around his forehead. He smiled back at Naida and nodded, "It would be nice."

"Good. I'll take him. You do the dishes," Rune suddenly said, interrupting his sister. "Besides, he needs a change of clothes. I'm not having him running around the house in those things he calls rags."

"How unusually nice of you, brother," Naida sang.

"Whatever. Goku, c'mon."

In a walk that Goku recognized so well, Rune stalked out of the dining room, stopping at the door and waiting for Goku. Once he realized, Goku shot up from his seat (almost knocking it over) and followed him out into the hall. Naida, who remained behind, shrugged and started gathering up the dishes. She reached across the table to grab a plate when Kou, who'd decided to come back in, handed it to her. She said a quiet thank you and continued gathering. Leaning against the wall, he watched her until she stopped and looked him dead in the eye. "What?" he growled at her.

"What's going on Kougaji?"

"What do you mean?"

"Goku. Is he-"

"No…not like me, anyway."

"I could sense him…What do you mean?"

"A heretic."

Her eyes widened, "You mean like-"

"He's a _far _cry from Homura, Naida."

"I should-"

"You're **_not_** telling him. Remember our agreement?"

She remained silent, lips stretched in a thin line. Kougaji frowned and walked over to her and came so close that if he hadn't been a head taller than her, their noses would've touched. "Naida, do not tell him. Do you remember our agreement?"

She looked down, eyes cast towards the floor; "Yes."

"I'll tell your brother when the time is right."

"Everything."

"Everything."

**

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**

"Hey Sanzo?"

"What?" Rune groaned, banging his head against the wall.

"Do you live here alone?" Goku asked, from inside the bathroom.

"Of course not, idiot."

"I mean with parents!" Goku shot back, "You know, a mother and father? A guardian?"

The tension filled silence that followed made Goku sink down into the bubbly hot water. He'd asked the man to stay with him, and instantly mortified, he'd hit Goku – who'd just laughed – leaving Rune to wonder why he looked so happy. When he turned to leave, however, Goku had grabbed hold of his sleeve and asked him to at least sit outside the door so he could talk to him. Sighing, the blonde agreed and only moments after a bath was run, Goku had started talking, and hadn't stopped.

"Sanzo?" he asked meekly. He could see the man's long legs stretch out into the hall, boots kicked off beside him.

"Dead. _They_ tried putting us in the foster children system, but I wouldn't hear it."

"Oh…"

Once again, silence filled between them until Rune shifted, drawing one knee up to his chest. Goku heard a metallic 'clink', and smoke began to waft slowly through the door. The smell of tobacco filled his senses, but he didn't mind. It was, after all, a welcomed smell. He smiled as he identified it as the all too familiar scent of Reds.

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Why do you keep calling me 'Sanzo'?"

Goku slung one arm over the rim of the large bath tub and gazed up at the ceiling. "A long time ago…I lost you…I thought you died, but I was wrong."

"I don't even _know _you for **fuck sake!**" Rune yelled back at him.

"I guess you just don't remember me," Goku replied back, "It's been ages anyway. But you'll remember sooner or later. There was once I got hit on the head so hard I forgot all of you, but you brought my memories back. Kougaji helped too."

"You mean Kou?"

"Either name's good."

"You still haven't explained why you keep calling me Sanzo, you know," Rune said nonchalantly, instantly diverting the subject away from him.

"Well…Sanzo wasn't really your name. It was the title you had. You were a priest. And you've even still got the mark thing too," Goku pointed out, once again hanging out of the bath. "Anyway; you saved me and the others a lot."

"I haven't met you, I don't know you. I haven't saved _anyone_," Rune hissed angrily, standing from his spot outside the bathroom, "I'm going to go have my own bath and then going to bed. Ask Naida when you get out for a guest room."

Goku flinched as he reached in and slammed the bathroom door, and he sunk back into the bath, the water coming in just below his nose. He remembered Sanzo being grouchy and irrational at times, but never had he done that before. Lights started flashing in his head as he remembered about Sanzo's master.

Maybe that had something to do with it?

**

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**

"Did you have to act so harshly? You have more mood swings then a teenage girl," Naida scolded her brother, having stopped him.

"I didn't ask you to fucking eavesdrop," He snapped.

A smack echoed down the empty halls of the mansion, and Naida's hand stung just as badly as Rune's face would have. She scowled at him as she saw him clench his teeth. "You know what that was for so don't even bother asking about it. As for eavesdropping – I heard the last two sentences and you were a rude bastard – I didn't need to hear the whole conversation. It wasn't your fault. Will you get that through your head?"

"Fuck you, bitch."

Another slap echoed at, followed by a door slamming. Rune stood stationary and slowly grazed his red cheek with his fingertips. Kougaji watched from the shadows as the blonde stuffed his hands into his pockets and very slowly make his way towards his room. Sighing, the redhead made his way out of his hiding place and started off in the direction of the bathroom Goku was in, carrying a set of spare clothes.

It was going to be a long night.

**

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**

Hakkai smiled at the expression on Gojyo's face as they stood at the base of the large mountain. Laughing when Gojyo's mouth began to open and close like a fish, Hakkai adjusted the large hiker's bag that was on his back. The rental company had been kind enough to tell them of a trail, hire out gear to them, and give them a map of the area – at a reasonable price, too. Said map was now firmly tucked inside an interior pocket on Hakkai's thick vest. It was summer but apparently it was still below zero on the lowest ledge of the mountain.

"So, ready Gojyo?"

"No way in hell."

"Gojyo!"

"I don't care if the monkey's up there! I'll buy a cell, and when we fly over the stupid thing I'll drop it on his fat head and then call him. Not _climb _all the way up that **_mountain, _**just to get him down! Oh no! He can make his own way down. He went up there in the first place!"

"Are you quite done?" Hakkai asked, smiling.

Gojyo flinched – it was the 'we're doing as I say unless you want to be impaled on something sharp, and yes, I will do it. I have done it before, you know' smile. He knew better than to deal with Hakkai when he was like that, and his head dropped in defeat. Turning towards the mountain, Hakkai then pulled out the map of the area. "If we follow this route, then we should be able to see Goku no matter what. Apparently a lot of pilgrims went up the mountain, and they built a small shrine. I suppose that's where Goku is, considering he hates the snow."

"If I loose-"

"Any part of your body to frost bite I'll pay. I know Gojyo. Oh, and I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to pay a visit to Hakuryuu later. He is nesting in this area after all," Hakkai said, going off into his own world – or what Gojyo recognized as it.

"Shesh…let's just go already…The sooner we get up that mountain, the sooner we can get down it."

"Hakkai?"

"Yes Gojyo?" Hakkai asked, turning to face him once again.

"Do…do you ever regret taking up _that_ offer?"

"…No, Gojyo, I haven't ever regretted it."

"Why? I mean…who knows? We could've been made Gods for what we did…"

"That's a long stretch, Gojyo. Who knows…we could've been, or we could've not had this opportunity to meet up with Sanzo again."

"True…very true, but still – I guess it's just a 'what if' question then."

"Well said, Gojyo. Now, this mountain isn't going to climb itself."

"Your mama-"

"Gojyo. No. Just, no."

"Hakkai! Why do ya have to ruin all my jokes?"

"Trust me Gojyo, the only person to laugh at _that _one, would be you."

"That's what she said."

"Enough, Gojyo, I'm getting tired of it."

"That's what she said."

"Gojyo!"

"That's what she said!"

"**Enough!**"

"Hey, what's that rumbling sound?"

"**_Avalanche! Run!_**" Screamed a random guy, running past. Hakkai and Gojyo watched him flee off into the distance, waving his arms around like a madman and still screaming the same line over and over again.

"Gojyo?"

"Yes?"

"Do you have protection from this type of thing?"

"That's what she said."

"Gojyo! Just shut the fu-"

_FOOMP_

They were buried in eight feet of snow that would take rescue workers two hours to dig them out of. Rescue workers also did the hard part for them – after scaling the mountains to make sure no one else had been caught in the avalanche, they reported no one was up there. Sitting with a cup of coca each in the warm lodge next to the mountain fours hours later, Hakkai gave Gojyo a much deserved smack to the back of his head.

**

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A/N2:** Well, that seems to be it for this chapter. I can't write very long chapters…damn. Others will make an appearance in the next chapter, Hakkai and Gojyo find the Porsche, and we get to see how Kougaji met NotSanzo/Rune – and stayed. 

Next Chapter: My Brother's Keepers


End file.
